Thinking of upgrading and getting a 355

It might be worth spending some time looking at this section and reading some of the threads as your queries are quite frequently answered

 

You will spend about Double on the 355 upkeep but you will get 4 times the fun and excitement in the 355.... no comparison.. Have you driven the 355 ??
Find out if headers were replaced

 

I think the costs are about triple, but is 10 times the fun!
I've owned a 308 and 328...great cars, but the 355 is so much better in every aspect, performance, engine sound, comfort, etc.

Still worth it.

 

What, no more strakes / cheese graters ?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

He didn't have cheese graters in the first place. He had a 308...

I agree, go for the looks and get a 348...

Kai

 

In my personal experience the 355 can actually be cheaper to run- Mainly because an older car driven regularly will have an almost unending series of wear related items that need repair- Most of us here fix them ourselves- God knows how many "issues' I fixed on my 308- A very good 355 late-model (Sorry 95 guys... I firmly believe the end of the 355 run cars have proven to be vastly more robust and reliable- Just my own observations and the feelings of both of my mechanics) should be able to run with virtually none of the mechanical and electrical glitches so common on earlier cars- and of course the 360 even more so.

Majors are expensive but not drastically so- Go to your local indy and I'm sure he will let you pore over some real world service invoices from his customers- Doing this really changed my mind about a few "underpriced" models that I was considering.

I've yet to find a well regarding independent Ferrari shop that was not very forthcoming with information.

 

The 355 is a wonderful car but because of the high "engine out" maintenance costs it is not holding its value. Buy a 360 instead, the Montezemolo panel behind the seats allows the belts to be changed and other maintenance without removing the engine. The 430, while it has chains instead of belts, still has $40k to $50k depreciation to drop.

 

Difference in costs of Major Service is approx $1500-$2000 - If you do your Majors every 5 years that works out to about $300 or so per year more for a 355... Not really the killer that everybody seems to think. No doubt 360 is a vastly superior cat but there is a certain greatness to a well sorted 355 that's hard to put your finger on.

 

Sorry but don't agree with this at all; that is, the "10 times the fun" part. It depends on what kind of 308 you have. I have a good friend who ownes a 1995 355 GTS and he was kind enough to let me drive it. It is a GREAT car, exceedingly capable, but...it is also very refined, creature comfort-oriented, and was designed with daily driving in mind. If you want an F-car that can truly be driven daily and give you a cool rush when you want it, the 355 is certainly a good bet, provided, of course, that you have one that has been properly "dialed in" - cats, headers, valve guides, etc.

Conversely, my carbed Euro GTB is more of a hoot to drive. It is louder (carb induction cannot be beat from the driver's perspective; that is, the 355 has more exhaust sound but it is going on behind you; a carb 308 has the induction noise blasting in your right ear), lighter, and is more visceral, snotty, if you will. Sure, it's not as capable, but if you like raw, non-refined, pure sportscars without ABS, adjustable shocks, power steering, etc, then you're going to like a 308 more, ESPECIALLY a EURO carb car. It just has gobs of personality and soul and flair.

Of course, most of this is subjective, but a 355 is going to cost you more to run, and there are really very few who will argue this. Case in point, my friend had a Major done on his car, as well as some "upgrades" and "while you're at its"...total cost...18K.

 

Lol....for me, that is a "yes"

 

I'm only on this side of the forum tonight because I sometimes get the 355 itch but then I keep coming to the same conclusion I did years ago, I bought a Testarossa instead.

 

This seems like a really small delta. Is that really all the difference is between 355 and 360 major, or is this one of those things were real world you end up finding out that its more like "well... maybe 3k-4k" and then "well and if other things go wrong maybe 5k-6k"?

everything Ive heard from folks indicated that the 360 really is quite a lot less to maintain than the 355 and that the 348/355 are pretty brutal (which has kept me away from buying since I have no interest in 308/328 and no interest in 360/430)

 

learn how to fix these things yourself. The difference in service costs will not matter much then. It will just come down to whether you like the tubi exhaust sound and the speed of the 355 better or the raw mechanical feel but slowness of the 308/328 better.

 

Its like comparing a rotary dial phone to a cordless. Not even close.

 

People say this a lot, but the fact is that not everyone is going to be willing to, or able to, perform major service on a Ferrari. If I could Id be doing it for a living on the side and making a mint

So I think it is a very valid question what the *real* difference (for a typical major with no "surprises") is in taking a 308 vs 355 vs 360 to a dealer or to an independent.

 

For a "typical major" with absolutely no surprises, the service costs for a 308/328 vs a 355 is about $1000 extra for the engine removal. Amortized it over 4-5 years and it is not that much. The surprises do add up, but it adds up for any Ferrari.

 

+1

 

Bushwhacker can you identify the rims on that picture, I have a set of them came with my 348 wondering name and info re rim. Thx

 

Fact is you should be a minor do it yourselfer to own one. They are older and little stuff will happen all the time. You will be dumping big money in small increments if you pay someone
to do it.

If yur situation (one car only) get a 360

 

Every time I hear people complaining about the over-priced majors that 355's require, when compared to the "reasonable" costs of a 360 major, I have to laugh.

First, if you like the looks and more raw driving experience of the 355 over the more bland (in my opinion) looks and driving experience of the 360, then the difference in maintenance isn't a deal breaker.

Second, while the 360 definitely had fewer "issues" as a model, we in this forum know what the issues are with the 355's. Therefore, we know that when looking at a 355 for sale, if the headers/cats/guides (where applicable)/gold kit haven't been done, then it needs to be budgeted into the purchase price. These things aren't a surprise anymore when they need doing. Further, once done (properly), they don't require regular re-doing.

Third, don't ever let anyone tell you that many of the above "355 issues" are only seen on 355's. 360's cracked their headers too, ingested their cat cores too (even more easily, as the "pre-cat" is located nearer to the head, and goes bad too), and have the cam variator issues. They probably will need gold kits too, just hasn't cropped up yet as they are newer cars.

Finally, as to the difference in maintenance costs themselves: yes, a major service on a 360 is cheaper than a major on a 355, but if you price a clutch replacement on a 360 vs. a clutch replacement on a 355, you will see that the overall RUNNING COSTS of the 360 isn't as different as people think. (This is because the transmission has to be removed to get at the clutch in a 360, whereas the clutch is winking at you whenever you look at the rear end of a 355.)

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not a 360-hater. They are very nice cars, probably built to be a bit more durable than 355's as far as "normal car" stuff goes (interior materials, etc), and certainly perform very well. But they are definitely cars that non-car-people can drive well, whereas 355's are more old-school cars that perform like new-school cars when driven well.

End of the day, get the car you like most. Don't let perceived service costs get in the way of getting what you want. The OP already has a Ferrari, so he knows the "hidden costs" game. That is usually what shocks new owners. However, look at the 360/430 forum, you'll see that just because you have newer equipment, the "hidden cost" game still exists.

My 2 cents....

John

 

Yep I agree with jsbmd. I have owned both 360 and 355 gts. The 355 was a step back in comfort and drivability but IMas the 360 was too cruisey too easy I did not like the paddles as I felt disconnected so I sold it and went to the 355 and it was a hoot loved it , it sounded great drove just as well had a manual box I replaced the clutch and pplate never had any major issues and had some of the best mountain driving in my life being chased by a 360 with big boots who found it hardvto keep up ...thanks to my new pirelli corsas..you will love the 355 that's if you like power steering, great 0-60 times a fantastic exhaust note and great handling.

 

Explain yourself. Have you driven both? Or just running your mouth, so-to-speak?

 

I also agree with this point of view.